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Vascular endothelial growth factor expression in oligodendrogliomas: a correlative study withSainte‐Anne malignancy grade, growth fractionand patient survival
Author(s) -
Varlet P.,
Guillamo J. S.,
Nataf F.,
Koziak M.,
Beuvon F.,
DaumasDuport C.
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
neuropathology and applied neurobiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.538
H-Index - 95
eISSN - 1365-2990
pISSN - 0305-1846
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2990.2000.00263.x
Subject(s) - grading (engineering) , malignancy , vascular endothelial growth factor , medicine , immunostaining , angiogenesis , pathology , immunohistochemistry , vegf receptors , oncology , biology , ecology
Microangiogenesis is a delayed but crucial event in the malignant progression of oligodendrogliomas. Accord‐ingly, in the new Sainte‐Anne grading system of oligodendrogliomas, endothelial hyperplasia and contrast enhancement, both being indicators of microangiogenesis, are key criteria for the distinction of grade A from grade B tumours. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a potent angiogenic factor: a strong correlation between VEGF expression, Sainte‐Anne malignancy grade and patient outcome might thus be expected. In order to assess this hypothesis, VEGF immunostaining was performed in a series of 34 oligodendrogliomas that included 11 grade B and 23 grade A, of which nine became grade B during the study period (mean clinical and imaging follow‐up: 41 months) . VEGF expression correlated strongly with Sainte‐Anne tumour grade ( P < 0.001), and inversely with patient survival ( P < 0.001) and recurrence‐free survival ( P = 0.002). One hundred per cent of grade B but only 17% of grade A were VEGF‐positive. By contrast, the MIB‐1 labelling index did not correlate with VEGF expression, total survival or recurrence‐free survival. In accordance with the grading system, this study showed that, in oligodendrogliomas, VEGF expression and microangiogenesis are progression‐related phenomena that confer on these tumours a growth advantage by presumably reducing hypoxia‐induced apoptotic cell death. These findings might have important implications in the future for the indication and timing of anti‐angiogenic therapies.